w0nderful wins first MVP after IEM Atlanta title

Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov was named HLTV x 1XBET Most Valuable Player at IEM Atlanta after Natus Vincere won the tournament in Atlanta, beating GamerLegion 3-0 in the final. Zhdanov led the event with 289 total kills and a +107 K-D difference. He recorded a 1.45 rating across the 2-1 playoff win over Vitality and a 1.44 rating in the grand final.

Zhdanov produced several standout match performances. In the playoff series against Vitality he posted map ratings of 1.95 and 1.87 in the two maps Natus Vincere won. He was the top scorer in the final with a 1.44 rating in the 3-0 victory over GamerLegion. In the group stage he posted a 1.41 rating in a 1-2 loss to Legacy.

At the event level he led total kills and K-D difference. He ranked second in kills per round (0.86) and deaths per round (0.54). Zhdanov recorded 105 AWP kills and 47 opening kills. His round swing was +3.04%, his damage difference per round was +17.0, his success in opening rounds was 69.1%, and he had six clutches.

The IEM Atlanta MVP is Zhdanov’s first HLTV x 1XBET individual award. He has six notable trophies in his career, including a Major, and he was named the 11th best player of 2024. He was frequently Natus Vincere’s top scorer across the event as the team advanced through the bracket to the title.